Base member for cribbing devices



April 19, 1960 w. M. SHOFFNER BASE MEMBER FOR CRIBBING mzvzcas Filed Sept. 29, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

w F Y F E H/ N w R 0 0 T M T A F L l W April 19, 1960 w. M. SHQFFNER 2,933,276

BASE MEMBER FOR CRIBBING DEVICES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 29, 1954 INVENTOR. WILLIE M. SlglOFFNER BY fuw w ATTORNEY United States Patent This invention relates to devices particularly useful for cribbing and similar rigging and constructing operations, and is particularly concerned with devices which can be utilized with wooden beams to carry out operations of this nature on a substantial scale.

In the construction and erection or the locating of many types of structural members and the like, it is a problem to provide the proper cribbing therefor without the use of large and expensive specialized equipment. Because of this, a great many jobs which could be done simply and efliciently at low cost are quite expensive to carry out and utilize skilled labor and heavy equipment. Operations of this general nature might comprise the erecting of temporary scaffolding, the lifting of patio roofs and the like in place, and similar jobs where relatively heavy, cumbersome items are to be raised and supported in a certain position.

Having the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide devices which can be employed for erecting a variety of cribbing devices and the like in a single and inexpensive manner.

A particular object of this invention is to provide devices "to be employed for constructing cribbing and the like which are relatively light and small and are fairly inexpensive to manufacture. p t p Another particular object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the nature referred to for use in erecting scaffolding and cribbing structures which are flexible in that they can be employed in connection with wooden beams and the like to erect structures of substantially any size.

The foregoing objects as well as other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent on reference to the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the device according to this invention being utilized for supporting a beam from which loads are suspended.

Figure 2 is a perspectiveview similar to Figure 1 but showing the device employed for the purpose of supporting spaced block and tackle arrangements for lifting a heavy object.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a scaffolding supported by the device according to this invention.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing details in connection with the scaffolding support.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a base member forming one of the devices of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the base member of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view indicated by lines 7--7 on Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing another of the devices making up a part of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, the arrangement of the present invention comprises the combination of one or more base members, indicated at 10 and 12 in Figure 1 in combination with one or more upright units indicated at 14 and 16 in Figure 1.

The base members 10 and 12 are characterized by having substantially horizontally extending pockets formed therein for receiving lengths of wooden beams such as 2 x 4s 18 whereby a substantially small base member can be made to have a bearing over a considerable ground area and thus to be extremely stable.

As will be seen in Figure 1, the base members 10 and- 12 are right and left hand and because of this when the base members are placed as shown in Figure 1 a single wooden beam can be extended from one to the other and enter the corresponding pockets of both thereof.

Each of the base members has formed in the center thereof a vertically open pocket which may be of a size to receive wooden beam 20 which, as shown in the drawing, may be a 4 x 4 wooden timber.

The timbers 20, at their upper ends enter suitably fixed pockets formed in the lower ends of the upright units 14 and 16 thereby providing substantially rigid support therefor.

The units 14 and 16 each have tubular pipe members 22 projecting upwardly therefrom which are formed with eyes or loops 24 at the upper ends which will serve for engagement by a hook as, for example, on a block and tackle, or through which a rope or cable can be passed.

In addition, each of the units 14 and 16 on the rectangular bottom part thereof comprise the open-sided box-like elements 26 which are fixedly welded to the unit which are a size, for example, to receive a 2 x 4.

As will be seen in Figure 1, the device according to this invention, consisting of base members 10 and 12 and the units 14 and 16, can be availed of for providing a strong support for a beam 28 having hook 30 in the center from which is suspended a block and tackle 32 that at its lower ends supportedly engage a load 34. The timbers 20 may, of course, be of substantially any length and the base members 10 and 12 can be separated by any distance so long as the transverse beam 28 does not become too resilient to be useful.

In Figure 2 the arrangement illustrated is quite similar to that of Figure 1 except that in Figure 2, two blocks and tackles 36 and 38 are employed which at their lower ends support an elongated beam like member 40 which is being lifted into place. It will be evident that the Figure 2 arrangement permits much greater spacing between the base members than does the Figure 1 arrangement.

In Figure 3 there is shown the use of the device according to this invention for erecting a scafiold-ing and in Figure 3 there is provided .a relatively short transverse beam 42 extending between the upper units of the device and the longitudinal beams 44 which extend between the devices lengthwise of the scaffolding. This combination of beams provide for sturdy and adequate support of the planks 46 making up the floor of the scaifolding.

As will be seen in Figure 4, each of the elements 26 is provided with apertures 46 which can be availed of for fixedly securing the beams passing through the element thereto thus making up an assembly in connection with which there is no possibility that it will collapse or shift m use.

It will be evident that the base members 10 and 12 could likewise be provided with apertures in the pockets thereof in order to connect the base members with the beams placed therein in fixed manner.

The base members 10 and 12 are each constructed in the manner illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 7. In these figures it will be observed that there are four plates 48 arranged at right angles to each other and in abutting relation to their inner ends define the pocket 50 which is adapted for receiving the upright timber, indicated at 0 20 in Figure 1. On the side of each plate there is placed a three-sided member 52 that forms the pocket for receiv- Each of the plates 48 is welded to the-other plate 48 which it abuts and each of the three-sided members 52 is also welded along its top and bottom edges and along the. back'thereof where it abuts the plates 48.

pockets at the bottom of the base device are inclined I ing the horizontal beam, indicated in Figure 1 at 18. 7

together to define a central vertical pocket to receive the lower end of an upright beam, and U-shaped members welded to the sides of said flat plates and opening radially outwardly from said vertical pocket to receive subsomewhat downwardly outwardly of the base device and this is an advantage in that it gives the base a good bearing on a floor or on the ground, even where the floor or This arrangement enables the outer.

ground is not flat. ends of the horizontal beams to press downwardly against the supporting surface thus adding considerable stability to the structure and insuring that it will not tilt under any ordinary circumstances.

The units 14 and16 which rest on the upper ends of the vertical beams consist of the box like lower portior1 v 56 which may be madeby welding two angular sheet metal pieces together and then welding a top plate 58 thereon. Weldedto the top of the top plate and projecting upwardly therefrom is the tubular portion 22 previously referred to having the loop or eye 24 thereon. On one side of the portion 56, one of the three-sided 7 elements 26 is welded and on another side the other element 26 is extended upwardly from the top plate 58 and fixedly connected to tubular pipe 22. as by a gusset plate 60 welded thereto.

The described. arrangement provides forvery strong elementary units from which cribbing, scaffolding and" supporting structures ,of substantially any nature can be" erected merely by combining therewith beams of suitable sizeand length, in many cases, scrap lengths of lumber that are found on substantially any construction site.

' It has been found that relatively light sheet metal when fabricated in the described manner provides ,forg'reat strength and rigidity; For-example, sheet metal of an inch thick has been found suitable for constructing devicesaccording to this invention for general use.

It will be understood that the devices according to this invention have utility beyond the few illustrations shown and that accordingly it is desired to comprehend within my invention such modifications and adaptations of the device" and uses thereof as may be considered to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 7

1. In a cribbing device of the nature described; a base member comprising a plurality of upright flat sheet metal plates arranged at right angles to each other and welded stantially horizontal rigid members to serve as supporting and stabilizing legs for the said base member, said pockets defined by said U-shaped member being inclined downwardly toward the outside of said base member whereby the outer ends of said horizontal member will bear on the supporting surface even if somewhat irregular.

2. In a cribbing device of the nature described; a pair of spaced base members each of which comprises a plurality of upright flat sheet metal plates arranged at right angles to each other and offset from a central axis and abutting each other thereby to define a central vertical pocket to receive the lower end of an upright beam, said plates being welded to each other along their respective lines of abutment, and U-shaped members welded to the same sides of said flat plates and opening substantially radially outwardly and inclined slightly downwardly for receiving the ends of rigid members to serve as support ing and stabilizing legs for the said base member, the said flat plates of the base members being oiiset from their respective center lines in respectively opposite directions so that the top view of one base member will be the mirror image of the other base member whereby the said Ushaped members will be in axial alignment when the base members are aligned so that a single horizontal member can enter a pocket in each of the basemembers while the said upright beams are in co-planar relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS V 298,791 Spooner 'May20, 1884 331,742 Subers .Dec. 1, 1885 704,884 Lally ,J uly 15, 1902 806,402 Donnelly De'c..5, 1905 949,394 Daly; Feb. 15, 1 91'0 952,655 Wagner Mar. 22, 1910 r 1,110,142 Piner Sept. 8, 1914' r 1,386,511 Krahl Aug. 2, 1921 1,568,758 Malcolm Jan. 5, 1926 2,185,948 Jan. 2', 1940 2,238,708 Russell' Apr. 15, 1941 2,323,195 Bouchillon June 29, 1943 2,452,792 Roberts Nov. 2, 1948' 2,470,397 Harter May 17, 1949' 2,611,160 Hanesse Sept. 23, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS France .f Oct. 13, 1953 Manama, 

